Sánchez pushes through 21 emergency housing measures amid nationwide protests

In response to nationwide unrest over a high-profile eviction of 87-year-old María del Carmen Abascal, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's coalition secured approval for 21 emergency housing measures. The package seeks to make renting and buying easier, extend protections for vulnerable tenants, regulate room-sharing, tax seasonal rentals, curb speculative purchases and offer tax incentives for timely payments. A €10 billion fund will provide loans up to €50,000 for first-time homebuyers and fund construction subsidies.

The interim legislature, formed after the dissolution of Parliament for a snap election on 29 November, comprises 69 members, and the government needs 35 votes to enact the reforms. Sánchez appealed to opposition parties, emphasizing that the reforms are a matter of practicality, not politics. The protests, which turned violent in Barcelona, underline growing public pressure on a government struggling with a severe housing shortage and rising costs.